Lakeshore Family YMCA Strong Kids Campaign

     My name is Stephen Kiluk. I am on the board of Lakeshore Family YMCA, located behind St. Lucy's Catholic Church on Jefferson in Saint Clair Shores. I am also a member at the YMCA and I am an advocate for the positive difference that the YMCA makes in our community. Many of us have had positive experiences with the YMCA in the past. Many people have played sports at the YMCA, utilized the fitness center, taken a yoga class, gone to a YMCA summer camp or utilized YMCA childcare.

     My first experience with the YMCA took place when I was 3 years old. I attended childcare at Lakeshore Family YMCA in 1988. This was basically the first time that I was out of my parents' house with people that I didn't know. I have vivid memories of those first few days, it was frightening to be away from my parents in a new place. However, the childcare workers at Lakeshore Family YMCA were really nice and over the course of a few days, I got used to being away from my family, I made a few friends and began to get comfortable being there. Overtime, I formed bonds with the people at the YMCA and they helped me start to grow into the person that I am today. I had a great experience back then, and today I am helping the Lakeshore Family YMCA to fund raise so more kids can have an experience like mine at the YMCA.

Some Background information on the YMCA organization

The YMCA is the oldest and largest social institution as well as the largest not-for-profit in the nation. The YMCA has a long history of nurturing and empowering youth into healthy, well-prepared adults through its programs of childcare, youth sports, aquatics, camping, fitness, day camp and parent-child programs. Furthermore, each YMCA is independent or part of a local association such as the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit as the Lakeshore Family YMCA. Over the years, the sports of basketball, volleyball, softball, and racquetball were invented and played for the first time at the YMCA. The YMCA was also the first organization to offer group swimming lessons and camping programs for kids. In addition, the Boy Scouts of America and the Toastmasters originated through the YMCA.

Each branch of the YMCA is open to everyone, regardless of age, religion, ability, income, or ethnicity and contributions allow the YMCA to assure that no one is turned away due to income. The YMCA is a 501c3 non-profit and donations to the YMCA are fully tax deductable contributions.

What the Lakeshore Family YMCA is doing right now in our Community

     Lakeshore Family YMCA has just reformed its board of advisors and is currently becoming even more involved in the community. SCS Youth Council will now be a part of Lakeshore Family YMCA and will continue to work on building awareness around the benefits of diversity, a culture of respect, and commitment to community. Lakeshore Family YMCA is also exploring establishing a Time Bank which is a mechanism to facilitate exchanges of time and talents between members of our community. People helping other people and this aid being passed on to someone else in our community is what establishes trust and strengthens community. Lakeshore Family YMCA has also recently updated their fitness center, acquiring newer weight machines and expanding the work out area.

     The more people from our community get involved with the YMCA, the more it will be able to accomplish in our community, so if you would like to volunteer, get in shape at our fitness center, or get more involved wth the community, then you should come check out the Lakeshore Family YMCA soon and consider joining.

     With your donation to the Strong Kids Campaign, you make it possible for children and teens to take part in programs that teach them positive behaviors, allow them to explore their talents and help them grow and realize their potential. Thank you for your support and generosity!

Because of your contribution, this year the Lakeshore Family YMCA is able to support.....

• Child Care: Each year, the Lakeshore Family YMCA provides affordable, safe, and enriching child care to over 100 families in our community. Nearly half of these families would not be able to participate without the financial support provided through the Strong Kids Campaign. With increased focus on early brain development and other societal demands, families need all the support they can get to nurture their youth. That’s why child care and early learning programs at the Y focus on holistically nurturing child development. The Y provides a safe and healthy place to learn. Children gain foundational skills, develop healthy, trusting relationships and build self-reliance. Their learning is enhanced by the Y core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. The average YMCA child care family applies for financial assistance in order to ensure quality, enriching child care while parents work to provide for their family. Help during this critical time in children’s lives places them on the path to educational success.

• Summer Day Camp: Each summer, more than 200 families apply for financial support in order to afford, safe, nurturing, and enriching YMCA camp for their children. These parents would not be able to send their kids to camp without your support. Camping, like many Y programs, is about learning skills, developing character and making friends.  But few environments are as special as camp, where kids become a community. They learn both how to be more independent and how to contribute to a group as they engage in physical, social and educational activities. Camping teaches self-reliance, a love for nature and the outdoors, and the development of attitudes and practices that build character and leadership. 200 day campers need your support. The average family requesting assistance receives $85 in weekly support in order to afford YMCA Day Camp while parents work.

• Girls on the Run: More than 200 girls are hoping for financial support for this extraordinary program that combines a message of healthy choices with the physical fitness of running. Girls on the Run builds self-esteem, teaches healthy choices, and fosters peer support - all while teaching the joy of physical activity. All girls "graduate" with a 5k race along with 1,500 other girls from across Metro Detroit. $150 supports a girl through 20 sessions of the program and sponsors her participation in a 5k race celebrating the end of the season.

The programs of the Lakeshore YMCA are heavily staffed by volunteers, so the organization gets the most out of the money donated to it by the community. Every donation makes a difference in our community and helps to support the mission of the YMCA in Saint Clair Shores.

Annual donations of $1000 or more to the Strong Kids Campaign qualify the donor for membership in the Chairman's Club. This special group of individuals, companies, organizations and foundations are recognized for their support through listing in the YMCA annual report, recognition on the donors wall at Lakeshore Family YMCA, recognition in the SCS Sentinel as shairman Club members and are invited to the Heart of the Y event each summer.

I hope that you will consider donating to Lakeshore Family YMCA during this year's Strong Kids Campaign. The campaign runs from now until Strong Kids Day on April 27th, 2013. Currently we still need to raise $11,519 to reach our goal of $25,000 to make our budget for the upcoming year and any amount you would be willing to donate will help us in making that goal for April 27th.

Please feel free to contact the Lakeshore Faily YMCA should you have any questions about donating, joining, volunteering or utilizing the services available through the YMCA by calling 586-778-5811.

Tax Deductible donations may be mailed to the following address:

Lakeshore Family YMCA

23401 East Jefferson

Saint Clair Shores MI 48080

(Make checks payable to Lakeshore Family YMCA)

You may also make a gift online at the following link:

http://www.crowdrise.com/fundraise_and_volunteer/donations/lakeshoreskc/...